North Indian Inscriptions

RECORDS OF THE SOMAVAMSI KINGS OF KATAK.

meaning of the Śâstras ; (and) who, like the kalpa tree, conferred the enjoyment of rewards according to (their) desires on friends and favorites,— being in good health, issues (the following) command to all Âyuktakas, Viniyuktakas, Drâṅgikas, Mahattaras, Dhruvas, Sthânâdhikaraṇikas, Dâṇḍapâśikas, irregular and regular soldiers, and so forth :—

......(L. 12.) “Be it known to you that, in order to increase the religious merit of (my) mother and father, and in order to obtain myself the desired reward in this and in the next (word), (I) have given,— to last as long as the moon, the sun, the sea and the earth, (and) for the same time as the rivers and the mountains, to be enjoyed by (the donee’s) sons, grantsons and (further) descendants, free of taxes (in the shape) of gifts and taxes (in the shape) of forced labour,¹ according to the maxim of bhûmichchhidra, with libations of water, as a brahmadâya,— in the village of Hariyânaka, which belongs to Akshasarakaprâpa,² (a subdivision) of the Hastavaprâharaṇî (district), four khaṇḍas of cultivated land at the north-western boundary (and) four khaṇḍas of cultivated land at the north-eastern boundary,— thus eight khaṇḍas of cultivated land in which (are contained) three hundred pâdâvartas,³— (in figures) p⺠300,— (and) at the north-western boundary of the same village a double cistern (yamala-vâpî),⁴ forty pâdâvartas in area, (and) a second cistern, twenty pâdâvartas in area,— thus in the same (village) altogether three hundred and sixty pâdâvartas,— to the Brâhmaṇa Dhammila, who resides in the same (village), belongs to the Darbha, gôtra, (and) studies the Vâjasanêya (śâkhâ).

......(L. 19.) “Wherefore, nobody should create even a small obstruction or objection to (the donee) while he enjoys (the granted land) according to the rules relating to brahmadêyas, cultivates (it), causes (it) to be cultivated, and assigns (it to others).

......(L. 21.) “And future gracious kings born of our lineage, knowing the reward of a gift of land to be common (to all kings), should approve of this our gift.

......(L. 22). “And who may confiscate (this grant) or approve of its confiscation, he shall be guilty of the five great sins together with the minor sins.

......(L. 23.) “And with reference to this (subject) there are (the following) verses composed by Vyâsa :—”

......[Four of the customary verses.]

......(L. 27). (This is) the own signature of me, the Mahâsâmanta (and) Mahârâja Dhruvasêna. The Dûtaka (is) the door-keeper (pratîhâra) Mammaka. (This edict was) written by Kikkaka. The year 200 (and) 7 ; (the month) Vaiśâkha ; the dark (fornight) ; (the tithi) 10 (and) 5.

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No. 47.─ RECORDS OF THE SOMAVAMSI KINGS OF KATAK.

BY J. F. FLEET, I.C.S., PH.D., C.I.E.

......Of the copper-plate charters which I deal with on this occasion, two, C. and F., are now brought to notice for the first time, I believe ; the others are re-edited, partly with a view to giving more correct versions of them, and partly in order to bring the whole series together in one and the same place.
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......¹ Viṭṭôllaka is probably the same as the Sanakṛit vishṭi, the Teluhu veṭṭi and the Kanarese biṭṭi. The designation of the lowest village servant, Veṭṭivâḍu in Tamiḷ, is derived from this word.
......² With the adjective Akshasarakaprâpîya compare Vaṭasthaḷîkâyîya in another Valabhî grant ; Ind. Ant. Vol. V. p. 206.
......³ According to Böhtlingk and Roth’s Sanskṛit-Wörterbuch, pâdâvarta is explained by the commentator on Kâtyâyana’s Śrautasûtra as ‘a square foot.’ Compare also Dr. Fleet’s Gupta Inscriptions, p. 170, note 4.
......⁴ The same expression occurs in another Valabhî grant ; Ind. Ant. Vol. IX. p. 238.